Spinners continue domination as wickets tumble

Kaushal Silva is caught at slip by Jermain Blackwood off Jomel Warrican for 32 on the third morning of the second Test at the P Sara Oval. (Pic by Ishara Kodikara)

Wickets continued to tumble on the third morning as both Sri Lanka and West Indies fought to gain control of the second Test played at the P Sara Oval.

Sri Lanka lost four wickets in the session as they attempted to build a substantial total for West Indies to chase in the fourth innings.

At the lunch break Sri Lanka who resumed at 76-2 were 165 for six wickets to have an overall lead of 202 which meant that West Indies will have to chase the highest total in the match.

Sri Lanka lost the wicket of Kusal Perera for five in the last over before lunch leaving skipper Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 31.

Perera attempted to cut part-time off-spinner Kraigg Brathwaite and only succeeded in getting an inside edge to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin.

The wicket was Brathwaite’s second in four overs. He had earlier accounted for Milinda Siriwardana who edged a delivery to Jermaine Blackwood at slip after scoring 42 out of a fifth wicket stand of 67 with Mathews.

West Indies grabbed two wickets within the first hour of play in the morning when Jomel Warrican got rid of the obdurate Kaushal Silva for 39 scored off 66 balls. Playing forward to a turning ball Silva could only edge it to Blackwood at slip.

A ball later Jerome Taylor sent back the other overnight batsman Dinesh Chandimal for 12 when the batsman got an inside edge to Ramdin.

Spin played a big part in the session with three of the four wickets falling to spinners and only six overs being bowled by the seamers.

Sri Lanka leads the two-match series played for the Sobers-Tissera trophy.